This is definitely not original but adapted from a book i read recently - ' JUST RIDE - a radically practical guide to riding your bike ' by Grant Petersen -

fits my fella to a tee - bless him: - we are all new riders -he has been playing with bikes for years

1.be coach and trainer - make sure you instruct the family on proper technique and critique their performance - especially everything that they get wrong

2.insist on proper saddle height (even though we were all scared stiff of falling over - and can't reach the ground when we are stopped unless we but our bits on the top thingy) took a while to figure out that it was OK to lean the bike a bit and hence touch the ground.....

3. emphasis the wonders of drafting even at family riding speeds- make sure everyone is scarily close to each others wheels and emphasise the importance of rotaing pace lines - its never too early to make the family into a 'peleton' - there are 6 of us so he has his own little bunch.

4. buy every one expensive bikes and then remind them how expensive they were - thus ensuring that they get ridden - guilt is a bugger

5. make sure they know that expensive bikes make riding up hills easy so that when it gets hard we know its our fault we are not quicker, better, stronger..

6. make sure we all wear lycra - its really practical but getting a body conscious 17 year old into knicks - really???

7. clipless are a must - no sooking - much more efficient and they will come undone if you crash!!!

8. make sure you point out to your wife all the really fast female riders that go past her - if she tries harder she can do it! see they are....

My fella really is a good guy - love him to bits - but I can relate to all of the above- anyone else??? -

Mmm......time to make sure he gets handed a copy of the book JUST RIDE........print out your post in the form of a book marker, delete the section where "you love him to bits", and place it in the book in a prominent position.

I'm not that guy. When I ask the kids "can you ride back to see if my rear light is on", and then make a massive break-away off the front, it's only so that they won't fall for that one when they're riding in Tour de France.

I was teaching my eldest daughter (11) how to (a) ride a fixie and (b) draft and swap turns on Friday night. I'm not going to be towing her for the rest of my life, she's got to take a turn up front as well.

Glad you guys are all on the side on the angels...and would never do any of those things.....

Can't call him on it - he's working in WA around Tom Price only home every 5 weeks- bikes are banned on site so he is struggling that we are riding and he is stuck on a spin bike.... would be nice to think we could catch him up and while he's away but not much hope.

He might get a bit sensitive if he knew I was broadcasting his approach to the world...he might think I was taking the mickey...too old to get a new bloke so better to leave him to his delusions that he is 'just helping'

fionahills wrote:My fella really is a good guy - love him to bits - but I can relate to all of the above- anyone else???

I know you love him, but can I give him a slap for being so silly!

I don't have a significant other at the moment but the last thing I would want to do was to pressure them into loving my recreational activities. Furthermore such things should be about enjoyment! Not about having to do things 'right'.

Funny thing is that I never could get an ex of mine into cycling while we were dating. However I lent her a bike after we broke up. Now she is more of a cyclist (at least the lycra clad variety) than I am!

OH Rhubarb - that's just plain mean - firstly to film it and then to youtube it....don't you love how they are just making sure you do it the right way...bless...you're young, you still have time, train him well....and lose the camera - you get maximum points for 1. the elegant topple and 2. not throwing a tantrum.

Mind you, mine is still very good and I would not swap him (except when he is providing training tips, especially on hills and in heavy traffic on narrow roads!!!) or when I am over tired, hormonal or just cranky....

Its all good fun and I must admit I am too competitive for my own good - probably wouldn't get nearly as antsy if I could keep up with him.

Anyway joining a local cycling group for sat rides from tomorrow and local bike shop for wednesday rides, & going to a coach on Tuesday - should keep me busy and save me annoying everyone on the forum with my endless questions!

hope you didn't lose any skin - I could not even speak while riding in clipless for the first 10 days - was scared to death and just had to keep repeating clip in clip out - must have appeared a complete noodle!!

BionicW - despite my whinging I am lucky - he is generally a good egg - does not complain when I take off for 3-6 months on little overseas volunteering projects, has always supported my obsessions (horses and all that goes with them are hideously expensive and time consuming) and has been (is a) great dad -

BUT I am not allowed to get electronic gears til he does and no bike upgrade til I can ride 50km at 30-35kph average - His money is safe!!!

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